Improvement in casing-spears



F. j. Fox. Casing-Spears.

No.\54,135. PtentedAugJaJM.

fehl.

uunlmuulil UNITED STATES PATFIN;A l

FRANCIS J. FOX, OF ST. PETERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CASINGi-SPEARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,135, dated August 18, 1874; application filed July 7, 1874.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS J. FOX, of St.

Petersburg, in the county of Clarion and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Casing-Spears for Artesian and Oil Wells, &c., of which the following is a specification:

The nature of my invention relates to a new and useful improvement in casing-spears for removing the casing from artesian or oil wells, &c., by means of which the riskv of losing the spear in the well (in which case the hole is plugged, and the removal of the casing seriously obstructed, and great expense rendered necessary to clear the hole y extracting the spear) is obviated.

My invention consists in a novel construction and arrangement of corrugated or toothed slides, which operate a plunger, to which they are rigidly attached by means of screws, or in any other desirable manner. These slides work in dovetailed grooves, two or more in number, formed in the stem or case, as will be more fully hereinafter described. It further consists in an enlargement of the diameter of the bearing-surface of the slides on the stem, by which the slides, as they move downward in the grooves in the stem or case, are carried outward so as to cause the corrugations or teeth to impinge on the inner surface of the casing, thereby allowing the extraction of the same, as is obvious. It further consists in a means for locking the slides in a closed position by means of a spring-hook, which engages in a proper aperture in the lower end of the case, as will be set forth hereafter. It further consists in a means and arrangement of parts, by which the operator is enabled to operate the slides in either a closed or operating manner at will, as will be shown.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure l is a vertical elevation of the invention.` Fig. 2 is a vertical section, showing the saine more in detail. Figs. 3 4, 5, and dare views illustrating details of the same. Y Y

Referring to the drawings, F is the body of the stem or case, made hollow so as to allow of the operation ofthe plunger through it, and it is provided with two or more dovetailed slots on its outer periphery'. These slots Z Z are constructed to correspond with the form of the slides X X, through which they operate y by a longitudinal movement, the slides X being entered into the vslots at the upper aperture of the same, the lower aperture being provided with a V-shaped slot, which prevents the slides from passing farther down. D is the plunger, which works inside the stem F, and it is rigidly attached to the slidesX X by means of screws or other suitable means. These screws pass through openings in the stem. The bearing-surfaces of the slides inside the dovetailed slots are so constructed as to readily allow the slides to operate as desired, and the diameter ofithe lower portion of the stem or case is greater than the diameter at the upper portion. The purpose of this is to extend the corrugated surfaces of the slides from a common center outward, so as to allow the said corrugations to impinge on the inner surface 0f the casing, as is obvious. The plunger passes through a nut, B, which is constructed to be attached at will to the lower end of the case or stem by any desirable means, a screwthread being shown in this case. This nut is provided with a suitable aperture, through which the plunger passes, and also with apertures which act and operate in connection with a spring and a spring-catch on the plunger, as will be hereinafter set forth. The plunger is provided at its lowerend with a rubber, leather, or other flexible follower secured thereto 'by any desirable means. The

object of this follower is to clear the casing,`

when the apparatus is being lowered, of' any sand, Sto., that would prevent the successful operation of the machine. J is a spring, suitably journaled in the plunger D, and adapted:`

to pass through the slot Q in the nut B, when desired. T isa spring-catch, also journaled in the plunger, and it is constructed and adapted to operate in connection with the aperture L on nut B.

y The operation of my machine is obvious. When it is desired to remove the casing from a Well, the slides are raised to the smallest diameter of the stem, the spring-catch is sprung and fastened in the aperture L, which holds the slides in this position. The whole is then lowered until it passes within the casing, when, by jarring or otherwise, the spring catch is rendered inoperative, and immediately sinks in the body of the plunger below the surface; the slides move downward toward and over the greater diameter until the teeth on the same impinge on the inner surface of the casing. By raising the entire apparatus the casing comes with it, and the object is accomplished. Y

Should it be desired t0 extract the spear for any purpose Without removing the casing, the case or stem islowered until, by means of the follower, the slides and vplunger are elevated, until the spring J passes through the nut B, and, catching above the inner surface of the same, retains the slides at the smaller vdiameter ofthe stem, and the whole apparatus can be readily removed.

- I claim- 1. The case or stem F, provided with dovetailed slots, with one end of said slots inclined, as shown, to prevent the -slides from passing entirely through, in combination with the slides X X and plunger D, as shown and specified.

2. The slides X X, provided with the corrugated surface, as shown, in com bin ation with a case, having an inclined plane, for forcing the same' outward, so as to make them impinge on the inner surface of the casing, as shown and specified.

3. The plunger D, provided with thesexible follower, in combination with case F, as shown and specified.

4. The springcatch T on plunger, so constructed and arranged as to operate in conneetion' with the nut B and plunger D, as

. shown and specied.

5. The plunger D, provided with spring J, in combination with nut B and case F, apertures L and Q, as shown and speciied.

'In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereby affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, FRANCIS J. FOX.

Witnesses:

LEWIS WESTERMANN, RICHARD H; NEELY, 

